Clutch mechanism



Feb. 13, 1923. *Y

1,445,462. C. F. WATERMAN ET AL. CLUTCH NIECHANISM. FILED r059.20. 1921.

Q//d Wei/Yam@ l Arrow/fra llatented i3,

CLARENCE E. VATERMAN AND THEODORE C. WATERMAN, OF INDIANAPOLXS, INDIANA.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Application filed December 20, 1921. Serial No. 523,707.

Z 10 f/,ZZ eli/1,0m t may concern Be it known that we, @tenencia Fllhyrnnliiizv and Tiirooonn C. lllrrnmmx, citizens or the United States, residing at Indianapoiis. in the county ot Marion and felt-ate ot vIndiana, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Clutch li/lechanism, ot which y operator.

The invention further contemplates the provision oit a clutch operating mechanism that is simple in construction and operation and so positioned with respect to the tractor that the operator may employ same without the necessity oit leaving the seat of the tractor. The lever, moreover is so positioned that the same may be readily reached from the rear or sides of the tractor when the operator has alighted from the lsaid tractor.

The invention further contemplates the provision oi a clutch lever that will not only release the said clutch but will retain the clutch in locked position and this will be appreci ated as a meritorious feature when it is taken into consideration that any minor adjustments may be made by the operator without the necessity of havinga second person hold the clutch in locked position as is the case with the well known lever now in use.

The invention primarily has for its main -feature a hand clutch as distinguished :trom a foot clutch mechanism.

The invention and its further features and advantageous characteristics will be fully understood from the following de scription and claims, when the same are read in connection with the drawings, ac companying and forming part of this speci- `fication, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a tractor and showing our novel hand lever, lock and release clutch mechanism as in its operative and inoperative positions.

Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the improved hand clutchv mechanism.

Qur novel mechanism preferably cured on the right hand side or", the tractor and in easy and convenient reach of the operator positioned on the seat of said tractor, and comprises the main frame portion l, of steel or other suitable material that terminates at its upper end in the cross bar portion 2, that is formed integral with thc portion or main trame l. This portion 2 is provided with apertures through which pass bolts (not numbered), and through the medium ot which the frame portion l is secured in a strong' and rigid manner to the lockingn element 120i? our novel device.

This locking element 12 is provided with a guide or guard of suitable material that is bolted at the ends of the locking` element, and is indicated by numeral le as clearly appears in Figure 2, and the said guide or guard 14C is separated from the right or outer side of the element 12 by a slight intervening space and limits the wabble ot the lever handle of the mechanism, and the lockingv element l2 is further provided in its rear portion with respect to the forward end of the tractor with the'lrerf or chamber 13. This chamber 13 is so arranged that when the lever has been pulled rearwardly the same is securely conned and prevented from casual Jforward movement or displacement from the chamber of the lockingboard or element.

Secured to the under side ot the lockingr clement as before set torth is the cross bar portion 9., and formed integral with this bar 2 is the lever brace rod or element 8, that is preferably formed of steel and is squareformed in cross section. This brace 'l is provided near its lower end with the continingr clip 7, that is bolted or otherwise scoured tothe brace 3, and :Eulcrumed on the brace rod 8 and clip 7 by means of the bolt 6 is our novel hand lever 5.

This hand lever 5 is provided at its upper 4end with a grip and at its lower end is provided with the l..-shaped angle iron portion 8 that extends rearwardly as clearly shown in Figure 2, and at its eXtreme lower free end. the angle portion 8 is provided with an integral yoke 9, in which we arrange apertures for the reception of a bolt. Arranged on this bolt and surrounding same and adapted to rotate independently thereolf is a roller 10 that bears on the clutch rod 1l y of the tractor.

The .mechanism set :forth secured to a tractor with but a slight lamount of efl'ort and without the necessity of drilling aper tures in any ot the regular equipment of the tractor, and n'iay be applied in a very t'ew minutes by but a single workman. To attach our mechanism to the tractor, it is simply necessary to secure the lockingl element in proper position, then remore two cap screws from the belt pulley housing ot the tractor that are the regular equipment ot the tractor, insert said cap screws throughthc apertures el: ot the brace land brace 3, and replace said screws in their original positions. l y

l\.\laniifestly the application ol our device to atractor is a matter oit' no moment and materially adds to the convenient operation of the tractor and wliui the tractor is being used for belt power. the operator may Quickly release the clutch and loch: same in release, which action will be attended with practically instant stoppage ot the belt power pulle)7 and permit the operator to malte various adjustments without the necessity ol remainingat his post with his foot on the clutch'pedal while a second person makes the adjustments.

Experience has taught that when the motor has'pbeen stopped with the belt palle)7 remainingfon the pulley, and our device is not attached to a tractor, it will require at lez st two men to start the motoil again, and on many occasions it is practically impossible to start the motor with the machinery belted up to the tractor unless someone releases the clutch which would 'tree the belt poweil pulley `from the motor. With ouil lockingmechanism all ot these objectionable features are eliminated. `We prefer, to term all ot the elements of our hand clutch release lever and lock oit steel.' and because ot its simplicity the same is readily adapted tor connection with :i tractor, and maybe as readily reniovcd when occasion demands.

` 1We would distinctly have it understood that we do not wish to be uiulerstood as confining" ourselves to any particular arrangementor coi'istruction ot parts, 'tor the reason that inthe future practice or the invention,

such chances or modifications ma 1 be made ,s 5

as `fairly fall within the scope ot the claims appended. p y

T he inyentionv comprises but a' small amount ot elements and because or this tact is simple and inexpensive to produce and comprises no delicate parts such as are liable 'to become inoperative after a short period olf use. y

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

i. n aI device tor the purpose set forth, the combination ot brace rods, a cross member securing` the brace rods to each other, a locking; elementsecured to the cross member, and a lever tulcrumed to one oi the brace rods, and having/,ia roller bearing arranged in one end thereof. f

Q. ln a hand clutch release and lockingv mechanism, the combination et a trame, a

locking` clement arranged above the trame, a locking chamber provided in the element. a guard secured to one side oi' the element. a lever iulcrumed to the trame, a yoke termed integral on the lever, and a roller confined on the lever in the yoke.

53. In means for the purpose set toi-th, the con'ibination ot brace rods secured. attheir upper ends to each other. and secured at their lower ends to oneY side of a tractor, a

locking board secured to the uppery end ot the brace rods, a keeper Yiormed in the locking; board, a lever tulcrumed to one rod, and

.haringa roller bearing secured in its lower end, and adapted to be forced in and securely retained by the keeper, and a {niard secured to the locking board to prevent casual wabblinir of the leiter with respect to the board.

l. .ln means 'for the purposeset forth, the combination ot a `frame portion, a lockingl board secured thereto, a chamber formed ii il in the board, and a lever fulcrumed to the trame portion; said lever beina'adapted to be confinedby a l-;eeper, and having an L- shapcd aiilelc portion that extends rearwardly, and having` a yoke formed in the angle portion, 'and a roller bearing arranged in the volte and confined on thelevensubstantially as and" 'lor the purpose set forth. ln tf-rstiniionywhereofwe have hereunto set our hands in presence ot two subscribiner witnessesl 4 (lLiiRldlNClC F. VLYVERPVI. THCODORE (l. iVrirllERhtlAN.

`Witnesses Tini JAM H. KUEHBMANN, llarmim IEHRMANN.

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